OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services recently joined the Sephardic Bikur Holim Chesed Mission in hosting a wonderful evening of social interaction for 20 male and female adults with developmental disabilities. The speed dating program is an outgrowth of OHEL’s successful Simcha Program that provides social skills training for individuals who are effectively managing their disability and who are looking to date.
Sarah Kahan, LCSW and coordinator of the Simcha Program at OHEL explained that “People with disabilities have the same desires that you have. They seek to fulfillment through meaningful relationships and a good daily structure either through paid employment, volunteer work or a day program. They also want to be allowed to make choices in their lives about dating and marriage. They seek to care for others, and to be cared for. Dating may be more challenging at times, but a disability should not never preclude the opportunity to find a soulmate.”
On July 21, OHEL was invited to join the Sephardic Bikur Holim, Chesed Mission.
The project engaged 60 volunteers and 20 OHEL participants with developmental disabilities in a jammed packed day of Chesed and volunteering with four different nonprofit organizations.
OHEL was responsible for the closing program for the day, which took place in Deal, NJ.
The program brought the Chesed Mission participants together with over 35 volunteers from the SBH Youth Chessid Program who had set up a fabulous dinner in the home of Raquel & Gabby Habert.
The night culminated with an interactive shidduch speed dating program for OHEL individuals.
Led by Sarah Kahan, MCSW and Dr. Michoel Friend, PHD, the volunteer group from SBH were trained and acted as “shidduch coaches” to the OHEL group, coaching OHEL individuals and their potential companions. The SBH Volunteers mentored the OHEL participants and provided them with pre-written questions to help the potential shidduchim engage each other in meaningful conversations.
The night culminated with a dance party lead by a professional DJ.
The event was enormously successful, creating three ongoing shidduchim, and tremendously valuable lessons in understanding for all those involved.
For the individuals wishing to pursue relationships, OHEL Bais Ezra, has created a step by step guide to facilitate dating, engagement, and marriage! If you know someone with a disability and would like to find out more information, please call Sarah Kahan 718 686 3262.
Since 1969, OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services has served as a dependable haven of individual and family support, helping people of all ages effectively manage disability, surmount everyday challenges, heal from trauma, and manage with strength and dignity during times of crises
